Magical Beasts
All living things in this world take in mana from their surroundings and contain it in their bodies to a certain degree. Most of the time this is a very small, nearly negligible amount but certain beings absorb too much mana from their surroundings and this changes them. Creatures whose bodies have adapted to this increased amount influx of mana are called Magical Beasts. Due to there being countless species and subspecies of both plant and animal type Magical Beasts even the most long lived scholars have only ever recorded but a small fraction of the total species living in The World, with many of them going extinct and new species being created constantly. Origin The details about the origin of most magical beasts is lost to time and as far as the common people are concerned the have always been there. In most cases Magical Beasts either evolved naturally, are the random fall-out of some potent magical event or are the result of intelligent design. In the last case one might instantly think of a warlock that modifies and breeds new servant creatures, but at some level every faction or group (including the elves, spirits and even the Light) has at one point created at least one new species. Other Magical beings Magical Beasts, in case they are exposed to too much of the power of the Dark Gods or their Corruption, can transform into Demonic Beasts. The line between the two can blur at times, but while magical beasts are, at their core, living beings that care about their own survival Demonic Beasts are firstly and fore mostly creatures bent on destroying the world, even if their behavior is self-destructive. Fortunately for the populace of The World the more powerful the Magical Beasts are the more resistant to Corruption they are and the more time it takes for them to transform into Demonic Beasts. Anther topic of discussion that many scholars have debated on for hundreds of years is whether or not Magic users count as "Magic Beasts". While the bodies of Wizards and Sorcerers are indeed altered to acquire or handle mana due to the process being "artificial" (due to training or use of foreign substances) the magical community does not agree on whether this means that anyone with sufficient skill in the Art counts as a Magical Beast. Creatures of note: Dragons While there is much scholarly debate on whether or not Dragons should be considered Magical Beast or a civilized and intelligent race there is something that nearly all citizens of Zyreema, whether scholar or not, can agree on - Dragons are among the most powerful magic infused creatures living on Zyreema. Among the many different breeds the ones the inhabitants of Zyreema are most familiar with are the greedy and flightless Cave Dragons who often work for Dungeon Keepers. While those are already quite horrifying countless legends tell of Dragons, both good and evil, whose might could decide the fate of entire civilizations. It should also be noted that the bodies of Dragons contain immense amounts of mana and that each part of their body can be refined into alchemical and magical items of the highest class, which makes many adventurers seek out the beasts in search of the vast fortunes one could acquire from their bodies (if you are not already satisfied with the hordes of treasure that Dragons make a habit of collecting). Griffins Although technically a kind of chimera and thus most likely created artificially, this species has been regarded as holy since even before the creation of The Light. They are closely associated with the virtues of courage and honor and are famed for their pride and ferocity in the face of Evil. Griffins, even after they just hatch, have the uncanny ability to sense whether or not a person in front them is Evil or not. No griffin, no matter what is done to them, will ever allow itself to be ridden by anyone who is not pure of heart. Most Griffins live in the Galande Kingdom and its neighboring nations while they are considered a legend on Albion. Wyvern Thought to be the results of some ancient Wizard trying to create artificial dragons Wyverns are airborne predators that can nowadays be found in many regions on Zyreema and the Underworld. Around the same size as a griffin and fiercely territorial and vicious, Wyverns possess extraordinarily sharp fangs and claws as well as a tail with a spine on the end that houses a potent paralytic venoms. Wyverns display certain behavioral patters that seem to resemble the behavior of dragon-kind when it comes to how they mark and control their territory (which further supports the speculation about their origin) but immediately cease said behavior and go into hiding when there is a dragon in the nearby vicinity. Certain people, especially among the more Dark-oriented nations, have taken to taming Wyvers (which is no small feat) and using them as flying mounts. Unicorn These majestic, beautiful and pure white horses with a single horn on their forehead are at home in the deepest parts of green forests. Unicorns have some innate magic abilities that they mostly use to stay hidden, protect and heal. While typically rather shy and pieceful they can become frightening and fierce in battle. But only under extraordinary circumstances will the proud beast ever allow to be ridden like a common horse. The greatest population of Unicorns can be found in the Green Vale where they coexist peacefully with the local elves; it is also the heraldic animal of the royal house. A very small population is native to Albion where over the course of millenia they picked up so many traits of the local Fey that they might be considered a new species. Regarless of the breed their bones and especially their horns fetch high prices on the black markets, because hunting them is highly illegal in all Light-worshiping countries. Giant Vermin While the most common ones are Fire Beatles, Giant Spiders and Monster Flies there are enough different kinds of giant vermin that they have warranted their own field of study. Giant vermin the size of dogs is the most common, but rumors and legends tell of monsters as big as houses or even bigger. Some species have unique skills, like the ability to teleport over short distances, throw sticky nets, spray poison or even cast simple elemental magic. Keepers worshiping the Vermin Lord often use them as minions and sometimes even create new, usually more venomous or destructive, breeds. As with many magical beasts, it is nowadays impossible to say whether the experiments of men are ultimately responsible for their existence or if Keepers have only taken and refined what was already there. Whatever the case, magical vermin has long since found its way into the wild and made their homes in all kinds of places, be it on Zyreema or the Underworld. Certain species of Giant Vermin are quite prone to changing into Demonic Beasts, a notable example being the half-spider half-woman creature known as the Matron. Grisaia Grisaia are massive High Ranking Magical Beasts that dwell within dense woodland areas in some Magical Hotspots. They are infamous for possessing three heads, of which one will always be awake even if the others are sleeping . There is much mystery about where Grisaia come from, some scholars connecting them to a rare, even greater serpent monster, said to dwell in the seas. Few, if any, records exist of their breeding habits as they retreat deep into very mana dense environments once the the time comes for them to bare young. Grisaia are very sensitive to smell and the presence of other creatures, and are capable of sensing body heat within a certain area. Their scales are prized among craftsmen as being extremely flexible and tough and they possess a very powerful paralytic venom they secrete form their fangs and are capable of spiting out and high velocities. The presence of a Grisaia within the vicinity of a town or Waypoint is a cause for alarm and is usually followed with a restriction on movement until the Grisaia is repelled or suppressed by, at least, a group of veteran adventurers. Worgs Native to the north of Zyreema, Worgs are a kind of wolf made larger and more ferocious due to the influence of the harsh terrain and the wild Magic that permeates the snow covered mountain ranges. As they larger specimens can grow to a size of horses they are frequently tamed and used as war beasts within the Wulfsmund Jarldom. Worgs can also be found in certain parts of the Underworld due to being carried over by the people who decided to turn to worshiping the Dark Gods long ago. At the present day Orc and Goblin worg riders make up most of the "cavalry" under the employ of Dungeon Keepers. Rhox In the open planes south of the Green Belt live the Rhox, some of the biggest mammals living on land and heavyer than most dragons. They seem to be related to the smaller and extinct rhino. Wild Rhox are usually peaceful herbivores living in small herds of roughly half a dozen beasts led by one dominant bull. When provoced they can turn very violent and a rampaging Rhox is a terrifying sight. Their unnaturally tough skin, their sheer bulk and their fast regeneration make them hard to kill with conventional weapons. Fortunately they are pretty dull-witted even for animals. The inhabitants of the plains have learned to tame the Rhox and use it as beasts of burden or as war mount. On a rare occasion such a trained Rhox finds it way to the markets of the Underworld. Owlbear Owlbears are fierce and territorial beasts that make their habitats in dense forest areas. Their bodies are large and muscular, covered in a coat of brown, grey or black patterned feathers. Their four clawed paws are strong and sharp enough to cut trough unenchanted metal and shatter bone. Owlbears can easily grow up to twice the size of an average Human and their large beaks are able to crumple hard wood like it was paper. The reason why these creatures are feared however, is not their sheer raw might (as there are plenty of predators which can beat an owlbear in a test of pure brawn) but due to their almost unbelievable ability to move undetected considering their size. A healthy adult owlbear is capable of moving trough dense forest, over trees and trough treetops without making a sound. As such, unless adventurers and hunters are cautious and look for signs that they have entered an owlbears territory, it is possible to accidentally wander trough a forest and be jumped by an owlbear with little to no warning whatsoever. Harken The Harken is a large animal, slightly outclassing even the Owlbear in size and raw power (a bit longer from head to rear, albeit around the same height). They are known for their thick light brown fur and their many clawed legs, which they can use to effortlessly climb and jump between trees. There is nothing subtle about Harken, they make their homes in dense forests and mark their territories by clawing trees and marking the area with their scent. While Harken are are extremely dangerous their presence is considered a blessing in disguise. Harken can not tolerate being near other larger predators and will chase them out of their territory at the first opportunity. Likewise, if they fail to repel a predator or have left their territory for another it is a clear sign that "something" came into the Harkens territory and was strong enough to spook the beast. Adventurers pay close attention to the territories of Harkens and signs of their migration. Fey Nearly exclusive to Albion are the Fey and fey-like creatures, including Brownies, Leprechauns and Pixies amongst others. Whether the Albion Unicorn should be considered amongst their ranks is a matter of debate. As is the question if these fey-creatures shouldn't rather be classified as spirits instead. Something they all have in common is their illusive nature, complemented by a high innate talent for illusion magic. It is speculated that they are native to the spirit realm, a dimension or plane of existence that strongly overlaps with Albion. Legends tell of a Fey Kingdom and their Eternal King Oberon, but so far there is no proof for its existence or that of more human-like "True Fey". Drakes One of the most widespread forms of life on the planet, drakes come in countless shapes and sizes. From the long four legged green drakes that inhabit the forests to bulky bipedal earth drakes that can be found on rocky mountains, from the aquatic blue drake that can fit into the palm of ones hand to skyborne winged red drakes that can grow to the size of a house. Just like their habitats and forms, the danger of these beasts can vary wildly from kind to kind, an while a large number of them are a great danger to be found in the wilderness there exist quite a few kinds of drakes that have been tamed by the people of Zyreema to aid in everyday life. Earth drakes are commonly used as beasts of burden and pull carriages, and certain species of green drakes are used and hunting animals due to their keen sense of smell. Hiva Hiva''' '''are large quadrupeds covered in thick white fur. Their most eye-catching traits are their horns and bony spikes which grow on their bodies. They are one of the few herbivores species of Magical Beasts that make their homes in the harsh environment of the Un'Tak Tribesland. Hiva are constantly on the move, digging up and eating the thin layers of moss that can be found between the snow and frozen earth (or that can be found between rocks, which they break apart by charging with their horns) before moving onto another place. The moss they primarily eat grows very slowly, meaning that Hiva would starve if they stayed in one place for too long. Hiva have an acute sense of their surroundings and will run away if they sense potential predators. Hiva can mostly be found in steep mountainous areas of the north and they avoid wide open planes. Domesticated Magical Beasts Dungeon Chickens The chickens conjured by a Hatchery are strange things. All normal animals on Zyreema, livestock included, and beyond tend to be more adapted to the mana in the environment and to the environment itself, but the chickens created in Dungeons tend to be the opposite and are quite ill suited to absorbing mana from their surroundings (even by the standards of non-Magical Beasts). Scholars have speculated as to why exactly this is but the current general consensus is that the "chicken" which was used to create the first blueprint for all other that would be created was an animal that lived in a very low mana environment (though it is unsure where exactly the Dark Gods that created the first Dungeon Heart found this creature). This would indeed explain why all of said chickens are hens (and thus, lacking males, incapable of natural reproduction). Being so naturally low in mana themselves though, conjuring or creating them takes exponentially less mana and resources then it would take in order to create any proper Magical Beast (as to artificially create Magical Beasts becomes seemingly impossible after they go over a certain amount of power). Tsunari Living on in the Shining Concord Empire, the Tsunari are a semi-intelligent but primitive race of insectoid creatures. They have a long hind portion, multiple legs and humanoid-like torso atop this bottom half. They resemble a more ant like form of a "Maiden of the Nest" and their entire body is covered in a dark carapace. They live peacefully alongside the Fairy on the continent and often willingly serve as laborers or even beasts of burden. Itu '''Itu '''are also famously used by the soldiers and Heroes of Galande. Flightless beaked quadrupeds, half covered in hard armor-like feathers and half covered in tough hide. As drakes are scared of approaching the Holy Mountain, Itu are often used in their place as beasts of burden and mounts by Galande's ground cavalry and travelers. The main breeding and training grounds of Itu is Itulia Valley, but they can be found in other towns in, and around, Galande as they have been spread all over Zyreema over countless generations.Category:Magical Beasts Category:Setting